Ethrian groaned.
"Oh! Damnit, hurry up!" Nepanthe shrieked. "Varth, please!"
The wizard sensed the quickening in the boy. He ran.
Ethrian's eyes opened a crack. "Momma?" he croaked.
Nepanthe flung herself on him and wept.
The orders from the Princess were terse but explicit. Shih-ka'i reported as directed. Like his brethren, he had remained in quarters while Ragnarson and Varthlokkur remained in Lioantung. The two meant less to him than they did to most Tervola, but he had gone along in the interest of morale and solidarity. He had a good team here. He had to stand with them as they had stood with him against the Deliverer.
"Mistress?" he inquired, standing at attention in the wreckage of what had been his headquarters.
"They've departed. Cancel the games."
"As you command, Mistress."
"I wanted to commend you, Lord Ssu-ma. And reward you. I have a new task for you, if you're willing to undertake it."
"I'm a soldier, Mistress. I am the empire's to command."
What new task? The Matayangan front? He wouldn't relish being tossed into that bloody cauldron.
Mist smiled. "No. Not Southern Army. The command every Tervola wants: Western Army."
Shih-ka'i's eyes narrowed behind his mask. Western Army? A plum, certainly. The glamor command. He was blunt. "Why? What of Lord Hsung?"
"I want a western commander who'll keep his mind on business. Not one who'll be plotting against me or taking off on his own. Someone who isn't foaming at the mouth for revenge." Softly, with humor, she added, "Besides, I can't stand Lord Hsung."
Shih-ka'i had only a passing acquaintance with the man. Nevertheless, he nodded. The one favorable thing he knew of Lord Hsung was that he could be a very good commander—when forced to concentrate on his calling.
He asked, "When would you want me?"
"Moving him out will be ticklish. But before the end of the year. Take the intervening time off. My friend Lord Ch'ien will take over here."
"I'll use the time to familiarize myself with the western situation." And, he thought, begin the fruitless search for someone able to replace Pan ku.
"Very well. I can't force you to take a vacation, though I wish you would."
"I've been in harness too long. Mistress. One more question. Did Ragnarson and the wizard patch it up? That will be important."
Mist smiled, rose, stepped down, embraced him momentarily. "Thank you, Lord Ssu-ma. For everything you've done." And, as she started away, "No. They didn't. The woman tried to make peace. Varthlokkur has much too stiff a neck."
And inside his beastmask Lord Ssu-ma Shih-ka'i smiled himself.
After the challenge in the east anything else looked easy.